Arthritis and Heat Remedies
I highly recommend heat- applied treatment for arthritis, no matter where the arthritis is located. In this article I am going to talk about heat, its application and saunas.
When the weather changes and the barometer rises or lowers my body seizes up. I rely on a hot water bottle or two placed directly on my lower back or shoulders. Some people like to use both the hot water bottle alternated with an ice bag to relieve the inflammation and pain. The other heat application is a heating pad which is electrical and is very flat so it can be placed under or over the body without interrupting sleep. Try to find the brand of pad which turns off after a few minutes automatically.
Try using an electric blanket for the first few minutes of bed time. The blanket warms up the bed and then I can turn it off. In days gone by the servants would warm the beds of their masters with hot water- filled pans and remove them before they retired for the night. One night I left the blanket turned on all night and I slept like a baby. There is a new contraption that you can put on your chair or flat on your bed which both vibrates at different intervals and heats up as well. I wore mine out.
Saunas are wonderful to release the tension, toxins and pain in your joints. The true Finnish or Swedish method is best, not a dry heat. In the Finnish method, a wood stove heats up the rocks beside it and the building gets very hot. Your body becomes used to the heat gradually. Then you take a cup or a ladle and splash water on the rocks. The steam or humidity fills the room with healing heat and you sit for 10-12 minutes with a towel on. Then you run out and jump into the snow or lake and cool off in the most exhilarating way.
For the arthritic, don't jump into the lake or snow. Just enjoy the heat and humidity. However, please check with your physician, because people who have high blood pressure may not be able to use the sauna. I can only go in a sauna for 5 minutes tops before I can feel my condition worsening. Hot tubs are the same. Swirling water in a hot tub is great, but I can only do that for a few minutes. Newer style bathtubs, called jet whirlpool bathtubs, are a delight. You don't have to leave or go anywhere, just straight to bed after a good soak. So heat does do wonders for the arthritic patient but, like everything else, do it in moderation.